Humans (the living)

Humans are the only mortal creatures in the house and the only ones who can actually be ‘killed’ in the way we would normally think of death. The human body is generally squishy and doesn’t stand up well to supernatural evil. The other kicker is that the humans that do end up in the house are ill. The illness may be mild to start out with, but all humans that arrive are sick with the same disease, abet different flavors of it.

Humans have several properties. First, they are the only ones who can move unrestricted through the house physically. They can touch and manipulate things. Use items ghosts and demons may not use. They are also the only ones who can generate new sin for ghosts and demons to feed on. Otherwise ghosts and demons are just passing around a finite resource or have to rely on the sin eater. Humans can fight demons and ghosts with the appropriate tools, banishing them away, or even enslaving them to do their bidding. Humans may also wield weapons, that can banish or control spirits and demons.

Humans come in two flavors. Sensitive, and non-sensitive. Each has its advantages and drawbacks.

Sensitives

Sensitives can perceive demons and ghosts. They can see and communicate with them, they can also use spiritual devices such as talisman and true names to drive away and control demons and ghosts. They can learn spiritual techniques to fight back, and protect themselves and others.

However, because they can see the ghosts and demons, they can be more readily hurt by them, and are especially tasty to demons who will see them as premium prey. They may appear strange, or even crazy to non-sensitive humans.

Most sensitives have a lineage which can be traced back to some kind of demonic inheritance (note for this setting angels and demons are all the same. They are collectively all considered demons, and not all demons are evil per se.). The blood is so diluted after generations however, that the original potency is lost. But this makes them very susceptible to the demonic world, influences, temptations, and sometimes assimilation. Sensitives can become demons faster than regular humans, although they still have to die to do this.

Sensitives may tend towards professions such as Psychics, Spiritualists, Ghost Hunters, Paranormal Investigators, Psychologist or Parapsychologist, Writers, Artists, Priest/holy person, and often have a strong spiritual faith, although it may not be to any particular religion.

Sensitives may use talismans, ofuda (paper talisman), spiritual inks, weapons driven by spiritual power, magic circles, and true names to control or drive off demons and spirits. This is best done quickly however, as spirits and demons will be quickly drawn to a sensitive human.

Non-Sensitives

Non-Sensitives are people who are spiritually dull, and cannot see ghosts or demons at all. They might feel a little cold, or notice something ‘weird’ out of the corner of their eyes, but on a whole they are skeptical and cannot see or hear demons or ghosts. Like all humans they are ill when they arrive, but they are more likely than sensitives to cling to beliefs of science, or ‘logical, rational’ thinking for reasons for things happening to them. They are also the most likely to snap or lose it when confronted with the reality of their situation.

A curious effect of their lack of spiritual perception is that while ghosts and demons can haunt them, they cannot harm them. As long as the NS human is ignorant, they are untouchable. Of course that doesn’t mean the dead and inhuman can’t mock them openly, they simply do not see or hear it. As long as their illness remains under Stage 3, they will remain with this curious immunity.

Demons can, however, briefly manifest a physical humanish form that these humans CAN see, and will usually use that ability to play games with them or put them in danger. These humans can still be harmed if they sustain physical injuries, such as from a fall or something hitting them. Ghosts may choose to possess objects or move things to get their attention, mess with them, or hurt them.

At Stage 3 of their sickness, they will begin to see the apparitions around them. They are unlikely to believe what they see or know how to deal with what they are seeing. There is a high chance of madness and suicide in non-sensitives, especially the extremely skeptical kind. Those that believe in the paranormal, but know they can’t see it, are a little more adaptable.

These people tend to have professions such as scientists, professors, medical doctors, researchers, business owners, seekers of fame and fortune, although they may of course have any profession, but their personalities are always flavored with skepticism and disbelief.

Costuming for Human Characters

Humans can appear in the house from any time period between about 1300 AD and current day from any part of the world. The easiest, is obviously modern times and is the recommended time period. However if you want to be from 1920s Berlin, you can be from there, or the 1970s USA, or the 1880s England. This works well if you enjoy playing period in other places in SL and want to come to the house to explore. No change in your character is needed. The house exists in a place which is not a place and a time which is not a time. Time also effectively stops for people in the house, thus they do not age, however their disease is not arrested. We ask if you want to play a historical character, that you maintain the culture shock of encountering people from other times and stay true to your time period. Another curious thing that occurs in the house is that everyone understands each other, even if they aren’t speaking the same language. For simplicity, English is the official language of the RP. If you are from Berlin, you will seem to be speaking English with a German accent to an American. To the German, it will seem that the American is speaking German, but everyone should be really speaking English or using a translator program to allow for English.

Death for Humans

Death in the game is generally not permanent. Nornally when a player wishes their character to suffer ‘death’, but not really die, their experience is translated into a ‘dream’ where the human wakes up in another part of the house seemingly unharmed but remembering the events of their dream.

If and when a player wishes, their character can die, and then become a ghost or spirit that haunts the house. See Race Info – Ghosts